This invention relates to accessories for use with an automatic dishwasher and, more particularly, to rack-like structure adapted for placement over items situated in the upper rack of a dishwasher to prevent those items from being inverted by the force of the water during the wash cycle of the dishwasher.
An automatic dishwasher for home use typically has a lower rack and an upper rack. The lower rack is usually provided with upstanding posts which define regions for holding generally planar items, such as plates, on edge. The upper rack is usually provided with upstanding posts which define parallel front-to-back channels for holding glasses, cups, bowls, and other miscellaneous items not well suited for placement in the lower rack. In addition, plastic items are usually placed in the upper rack so as to be sufficiently spaced from the heating element located beneath the lower rack and which is energized during the drying cycle of the dishwasher so that they are not damaged by direct heat from the element.
Hollow items, such as glasses, cups and bowls, are placed upside down in the upper rack so that they do not fill with water during the wash cycle. However, the force of the water against these items, especially those that are lightweight, such as plastic cups, can often invert them to their upright positions so that they fill with water. When filled with water, these items are sufficiently heavy that they remain upright. This causes several well recognized problems. Thus, the water remaining in the items usually contains food debris, so the items have to be rewashed. Also, when the upper rack is pulled out or even merely nudged when dishes are removed from the lower rack, the items filled with water tend to tip over and the debris-laden water spills onto the otherwise clean dishes in the lower rack, requiring them to be rewashed as well. It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an arrangement for preventing items placed in the upper rack of a dishwasher from inverting during the wash cycle of the dishwasher.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,114,019 and 5,121,843 disclose nets which go over the items in the upper rack of a dishwasher to prevent them from being inverted. However, these nets must be secured to the upper rack to hold them in place, which can prove to be inconvenient and, for people with below average dexterity, difficult to effect. It is therefore another object of this invention to provide such an arrangement which is simple to use without requiring that it be secured to the upper rack of the dishwasher.
A problem frequently encountered with dishwashers is that there is no place in either the lower or upper rack for placing container lids. These lids are usually generally flat and are lightweight. Therefore, the force of the water during the wash cycle can move these lids and they can fall through the grid of the lower rack, making them difficult to retrieve. In addition, after falling beneath the lower rack, they can contact the heating element, resulting in damage to the lids. It is therefore a further object of this invention to provide an arrangement of the type described which includes means for holding container lids and the like.